Category: Feature Story

Feature Story — SportsTravel — News, Insight and Analysis for the Sports-Event Industry

Tokyo 2020 Karate
An athlete performs kata moves during a karate test event at Nippon Budokan, a venue for karate at the 2020 Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo. Photo: Jae C. Hong/AP Images

Karate Steps Into the Spotlight

At a time when MMA-style fighting dominates the martial arts landscape, karate is working to expand its own patch of ground. “The beauty of karate is that it’s a lifetime sport,” said Phil Hampel, CEO of USA Karate, which counts 3,200 members. “It adjusts and adapts.” There’s plenty of evidence of the sport’s adaptability, both […]

Continue Reading
Posted On :
LA 84 Youth Sports Summit
Tennis star Sloane Stephens talks with ESPN reporter Shelley Smith during the LA84 Youth Sports Summit at InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown in Los Angeles. (Photo from LA84 Foundation)

LA84 Event Looks Forward to Continuing Legacy Work

Ahead of what was called “a decade of opportunity,” Los Angeles sports leaders and guest speakers emphasized the intrinsic values of sports beyond financial revenue at a conference hosted by the foundation that was created as lasting legacy from one of the city’s most notable major sporting events. Hosted by the LA84 Foundation, which was […]

Continue Reading
Posted On :
United Posed Crop
United Airlines has added a Los Angeles to South Bend, Indiana, direct flight for the USC/Notre Dame game on October 12. American will offer a new Chicago to South Bend flight for the game as well. Photo: United Airlines

Opening the Gridiron Gates

For several years, airlines have added special flights to the site of college football’s national championship to meet last-minute demand from fans who have just learned their team will play in the big game. But this season, two airlines—United and American—are making an entirely new push into college football by offering direct regular-season routes for […]

Continue Reading
Posted On :
Nebraska UCLA Gymnastics
Former UCLA gymnast Katelyn Ohashi, whose perfect 10 floor routine last year was a viral internet sensation, is among those who have committed to compete at the inaugural Aurora Games in August in Albany, New York. Associated Press/Ben Liebenberg

Aurora in Albany in August

Named after the Roman goddess of the dawn and conceived as a way to celebrate women’s sports, the inaugural Aurora Games are scheduled to take place August 20–25 in Albany, New York. The sports festival will feature more than 125 professional athletes competing in six sports—basketball, tennis, figure skating, gymnastics, ice hockey and beach volleyball—on […]

Continue Reading
Posted On :
Ireland US Soccer
The U.S. soccer team poses for a photo before an international friendly soccer match against Ireland in Pasadena, Calif., Saturday, Aug. 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

U.S. Women’s Soccer Victory Tour Brings Champions to Fans

What some programs or leagues or teams wish would happen over a period of years hit the United States women’s national soccer team within a month’s time. Already going into the FIFA Women’s World Cup with the label of favorites and defending champions, the team not only successfully defended its title, but did so with […]

Continue Reading
Posted On :
TEAMS_AC19_0061
The Adrian Phillips Ballroom at historic Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jesery, was the site of the opening celebration for the EsportsTravel Summit.

Headlines Made at EsportsTravel Summit in Atlantic City

The EsportsTravel Summit brought 300 esports event organizers, destinations and suppliers together for an event that featured several significant announcements, including the first research into the travel impact of esports events and the launch of a new music and esports festival from the founder of the Vans Warped Tour. Attendees at the Summit, held June […]

Continue Reading
Posted On :
DSC_0158

5 Takeaways from the IAAF Global Running Conference

The IAAF recently held its 2019 Global Running Conference in Lanzhou, China, a gathering of more than 400 road racing event organizers and running industry stakeholders to discuss the state of running and trends to watch. The two-day forum organized by the international track-and-field federation was timed around the Lanzhou International Marathon, an event that […]

Continue Reading
Posted On :
Panama City Beach
An overview rending of the Panama City Beach Sports Complex.

5 Sports Venues to Watch

As the demand for spaces to host sporting events continues to grow, destinations across the country are examining their inventory, identifying needs and building accordingly. They are constructing ice arenas, soccer fields and baseball diamonds, hoping these venues will serve as a one-stop shop for traveling teams and their families. Here are five new sports […]

Continue Reading
Posted On :
US New Zealand Soccer
United States' Rose Lavelle, right, is congratulated by Alex Morgan and Tobin Heath, left, after scoring during the first half of an international friendly soccer match against New Zealand on May 16 in St. Louis. Photo: Jeff Roberson/AP Images

A World of Opportunity

Excitement is rising for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will be staged June 7–July 7 in nine cities in France. As of March, more than 500,000 tickets had been sold, 23 percent to ticket buyers in the United States—and there’s good reason for the strong American interest. The 2019 tournament will mark the […]

Continue Reading
Posted On :
Full Sail Fortress-2643
Full Sail University will open a dedicated sports arena in May called "The Fortress." Photo: Full Sail University

The Fortress Enters the Esports Stage

The largest esports arena to be constructed on a U.S. college campus is scheduled to open this month at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida. The private, for-profit school has invested $6 million into what it is calling “The Fortress,” an arena that will house its Armada esports team. The venue will also host […]

Continue Reading
Posted On :